Automobile safety has indicated the use of inflatable structures such as air cushion systems for passenger restraint. Much research and development has recently been carried out in the development of such air cushion systems both for the protection of passengers, as disclosed for example in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 81,947, filed Oct. 19, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,059, and for the protection of the driver, as for example in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 147,913, filed May 28, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,074. In both the case of the protection of the passenger and the driver, the gas used to fill the protective cushion or bag may be in part or all generated gas from a combustible material.
It is necessary that the generated gas withstand storage from about -40.degree. F. to +220.degree. F., will ignite rapidly, for example within just a few milliseconds, to be totally ignited and producing gas, and produce non-toxic gas at a relatively low temperature (less than about 2000.degree. F.) when burned at pressures from 100 to 20,000 lbs/in.sup.2. One problem with current combustible mixtures is that copious quantities of water vapor are produced as a product of combustion, since the fuels used are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen components. The water vapor condenses on the inflated structure (the air cushion or bag), carrying considerable heat with it, which raises the temperature of the inflated structure to undesirable levels. This is particularly true if the inflated structure is porous, which is typical of at least a part of most air cushions utilized.